The cheese stands alone:  A cautionary dairy tale

by Diana Coutu, owner/operator of Diana’s Gourmet Pizzeria, Winnipeg

The average Canadian consumer has made pizza a staple of their diet.  Take a poll in any office, or even at a busy coffee shop, and ask when the last time they ate pizza was.  The answers, on average, will be between 7 and 21 days. Pizza is one of those meals that every Canadian family has on a traditional day; for many it’s Friday after the long work week, for others it’s while watching the Sunday football games, and for some it’s a tradition to eat it while watching their favourite hockey team.   

The dairy farmers have all but abandoned the pizzeria owners, the CDC has turned their backs and a deaf ear on us.  We have heard the message ‘not my problem’  loud and clear.  Independent pizzeria owners across the country have thrown up their hands in defeat and actively looked for substitutions for 100% dairy cheeses. 

Perhaps you didn’t think the independent pizzeria owners would unite and boycott the dairy industry, and it’s true, independent pizzeria owners have not banned together.  However, independent and chain pizzerias, even restaurants, have been moving away from using 100% dairy cheeses.  Their consumption has declined, therefore the average Canadian consumer’s consumption has declined.

While other costs have increased due to actual shortages (i.e. wheat flour and rice flour) and some costs have increased due to rising fuel costs, those costs have come down since production has increased, and other commodities have had fluctuating prices to reflect the gas prices.  The cheese/dairy stands alone in their ever increasing costs. 

Do not think that pizzeria owners do not notice it’s the only item on their inventory list that only increases in price. 

It’s time to repair the damaged relationship between the dairy industry and the average pizzeria owner.  It’s time to help him grow his business, while also helping to grow consumption of 100% dairy cheeses.  

You may not think that it’s as serious as it is.  You may be tempted to think that pizzeria/restaurant owners will always need the dairy industry and therefore you can continue to do what you’ve always done.  I’d advise extreme caution with that perception, it is quite likely that you have already seen a decline in sales in the past four years, and without reversing course you will continue to see declining sales, regardless of increased profits. 

A shrinking market will eventually dry up.  Just look at GM and their dependence on gas guzzling SUV’s for the majority of their profits.  Their ignorance of ever increasing gas prices left them with a fleet of vehicles no one wants to purchase, regardless of the recent rock-bottom discounts. 

I would then pose a question to the CDC commissioners:  In 2009, the average Canadian consumer will very likely continue their tradition of eating pizza on Friday nights and while watching sports on TV, but the question about whether the average Canadian consumer will enjoy 100% dairy cheese on those pizzas, or whether they will find a palatable substitute remains in the hands of the CDC.  I ask that they seriously consider this question, because whatever they decide will largely determine what the average Canadian consumer will find on their pizzas in 2009 and beyond. 

Diana delivered these remarks as part of the CRFA presentation to the Canadian Dairy Commission in November, 2008.